Web analytics is a common method for understanding and optimizing web usage, and includes measuring, collecting, analyzing and reporting web usage data. Web analytics can be a tool for business research and market research. A variety of different programs may run analytics applications that can provide data on the number of visitors, page views, the time spent on a page by a user and locations of clicks with a mouse to gauge the popularity of the sites which will contribute to the market research.
There are two common ways to collect data for web analytics. One way is a logfile analysis, which reads the logfiles in which a web server records all of the transactions that take place on the web server. The other way is a page tagging method that uses JavaScript embedded on a web page to notify a third-party server when a page is rendered by a web browser. Both methods are capable of collecting data concerning a user's use of a web page, which can later be used to produce web traffic reports.
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a system 10 for gaining analytical information about a web page, in accordance with the prior art. The system 10 includes a client 20 in communication with a first server 40 and a second server 50. The client 20 may request a web page having text as well as embedded images from the first server 40. This may be done with a request element 22, wherein the text and embedded images are fetched and rendered. This includes fetching the resource associated with the embedded image tag on the second server 50, resulting in an execution of a first CGI script 52, embedded within the image. The request element 22 may make any type of request, such as requesting documents, images or requesting a resource using an embedded image or image tag. The web page also contains embedded URLs that point to two resources on the second server 50. The first CGI script 52 can capture information about the client 20, such as Network ID or Client ID, and may also return a transparent image.
The second server 50 also contains a Java applet, or an applet from another type of computer software stored on the second server 50. The client 20 automatically fetches the code and downloads it. The code is initialized in an initializing element 24 and then the start operation of the applet begins in a start element 26. After initialization but before a start process, the applet may contact the second server 50 at a second CGI script 54 to obtain additional resources that the applet needs to display images, play sounds or control a look or behavior. The additional resources may be previously constructed historical database profiles, which can be selected by the code based on Network and/or Client ID, the URL of the web page, and a previously constructed client profile.
Once fully initialized, the code applet notes a start time and then monitors a user's actions with monitoring element 28. This includes monitoring mouse clicks or keyboard entries. While monitoring the user's actions, the system 10 does not have any communication with either the first server 40 or the second server 50. This occurs until a stop element 30 is executed, such as when the user leaves the web page, open a new web page, or takes some other action to initiate a stop procedure. A stop time is noted by the stop element 30 and a calculation element 32 calculates the difference between the stop time and the start time. This calculation is sent to a third CU script 56 in the second server 50 for storage and analysis. The third CGI script 56 captures data associated with the client 20 and saves it in a database 58. The data remains in the database 58 ready to be used for web analytical purposes.
However, these current and conventional methods are limited in how much information can be gathered, the types of information that can be gathered, and the response time in which the information can be used for web analytical purposes. These limitations hinder the full capabilities of processing analytical information capable of yielding data that can be used more effectively. Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.